Radical Acceptance

Dear LFP Church Fam and Friends, 

This past Sunday, our church family took Romans 15:7 to heart: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Together, we explored what true acceptance looks like—not just tolerance, but embracing our differences and striving to truly understand each other. 

During worship, Carol led us in learning Romans 15:7 in American Sign Language, reminding us that love often finds its most powerful expression when we go beyond words. It was a beautiful moment of unity and a vivid illustration of how God’s love crosses all barriers. Thank you Carol! 

We also reflected on the story behind the film CODA, where children of deaf adults become bridges between two worlds by learning to speak more than one “language.” Like them, we’re called to step outside our comfort zones, listen deeply, and celebrate the unique gifts each person brings. Here's that song and scene montage from CODA, if you want to view it again. 

Let’s keep that spirit alive as we move into the next weeks. Look for ways to learn from those who are different from you, listen with curiosity, and reach out in creative ways—whether that’s practicing the ASL phrase Carol taught us, or simply taking time to better understand someone’s perspective. 

By living out radical acceptance, we glorify God and show the world what love looks like. May we continue to be a church that follows the Spirit and lives out our core value of "intentional belonging" -- one that welcomes, learns from, and celebrates one another—just as Christ welcomed us. 

With joy in the journey, 

Jeff 

P.S. Some have mentioned it's challenging to find CODA. It's only available to stream through Apple TV+ (you can do a free week trial) and I did see you can rent it with Amazon Prime. It's not available to purchase BluRay in the U.S. Be careful you choose the right CODA movie. :)